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VESTA [SSTL]
Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd (SSTL) has signed a contract with Honeywell to supply the VESTA satellite platform, a technology demonstration mission that will test a new two-way VHF Data Exchange System (VDES) payload for the exactEarth advanced maritime satellite constellation. The contract was signed as part of an MOU between Honeywell Aerospace and the UK Space Agency.
VESTA is being manufactured in SSTLs new NanoLab at the Companys Guildford facility under a rapid-build schedule to meet a 2017 launch date. The VESTA platform will have 3-axis pointing capability, an SEU tolerant on-board computer, VxWorks operating system and an S-Band transmitter and receiver.
VESTA is a flagship project of the National Space Technology Programme, funded by the UK Space Agency and managed by the Centre for EO Instrumentation and Space Technology (CEOI-ST).
The satellite was launched on Spaceflight Industry's SSO-A multi-satellite launch on a Falcon-9 v1.2 (Block 5) rocket.
| Nation: | Canada |
|---|---|
| Type / Application: | Technology, communication |
| Operator: | exactEarth |
| Contractors: | SSTL (bus); Honeywell (payload |
| Equipment: | VDES |
| Configuration: | CubeSat (3U) |
| Propulsion: | None |
| Power: | Solar cells, batteries |
| Lifetime: | |
| Mass: | 5 kg |
| Orbit: | 573 km × 592 km, 97.77 |
| Satellite | COSPAR | Date | LS | Launch Vehicle | Remarks | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| VESTA | 2018-099Z | 03.12.2018 | Va SLC-4E | Falcon-9 v1.2 (Block 5) | with SkySat 14, 15, Eu:CROPIS, STPSat 5, FalconSat 6, NEXTSat 1, KazSTSAT, eXCITe, SeeMe, ICEYE X2, BlackSky Global 2, ESEO, Hawk A, B, C, Capella 1, AISTECHSAT 2, CSIM-FD, Hiber 2, ITASAT 1, Landmapper-BC 4, ORS 7A, 7B, Al-Farabi 2, Astrocast 0.1, Audacy 0, BRIO, Centauri 1, Eaglet 1, Enoch, Flock-3s 1, 2, 3, K2SAT, KazSciSat 1, MinXSS 2, Orbital Reflector, RAAF M1, SeaHawk 1, SNUSAT 2, THEA, PW-Sat 2, SNUGLITE, VisionCube, RANGE A, B, Elysium-Star 2, ExseedSat 1, Fox 1C, Irvine 02, JY1-Sat, KNACKSAT, MOVE 2, SpaceBEE 5, 6, 7, Suomi-100, WeissSat 1, Sirion Pathfinder 2, OrbWeaver 1, 2, SPAWAR-CAL O, OR, R |
Launch Sites:
- Va = Vandenberg Air Force Base, California, USA
References:
- SSTL: SSTL expands LEO platform capability with VESTA nanosatellite, 19 July 2016
